Coated in lots of cinnamon sugar and topped with a fresh strawberry orange sauce, this cinnamon sugar French toast is an absolute breakfast gem!
French toast is getting a serious makeover today that absolutely no one will be able to resist.
I mean, what can you really say when cinnamon sugar, brioche, and a swoon-worthy strawberry sauce are hanging out on the same plate?
In our house, we like to call this our “fancy” French toast recipe and always pull it out for company, but it’s simultaneously so easy and you can have it on the table in only 30!
At first glance, the combination of cinnamon sugar with strawberries and orange may seem a bit weird, but trust me on this: all the flavors in this French toast work insanely well together
Everyone will be scraping their plates clean I can promise you that.
This French Toast features…
- Brioche French toast slices dusted with cinnamon sugar
- A sweet and citrusy strawberry orange sauce
- Minutes to make with only a few ingredients needed
Making the French Toast
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Strawberries
- Orange
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Eggs
- 2% or skim milk
- Vanilla extract
- Brioche bread
- Unsalted butter
- Whipped cream for serving
Fresh vs. Frozen Strawberries
This recipe works well with both fresh and frozen strawberries. If you decide to go the frozen route, make sure strawberries are sliced and do not thaw them prior to adding to sauce.
Tips for Perfect French Toast
- Use orange juice and zest in sauce – this gives the sauce a ton of orange flavor.
- Keep sauce warm for serving – the warm strawberry sauce is incredible with the French toast hot off the griddle.
- Dip bread slices in egg and then dust with cinnamon sugar – we like to lay the bread slices on a plate to dust them with cinnamon sugar for extra ease and less dripping mess.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this French toast.
- Use a different citrus in strawberry sauce – try lemon or lime in place of the orange.
- Skip the strawberry sauce – maple syrup as a topping goes great with the cinnamon sugar.
- Make it dairy-free – use oat milk or almond milk in place of the 2% milk and replace the butter with a dairy-free butter or a little vegetable oil.
Bread Suggestions
Brioche bread is by far our favorite type of bread to use for French toast, but this recipe also works great with sourdough, French bread, challah, or whole wheat. For best results, use bread that’s a few days old.
This is a French toast with some serious pizazz, people! The cinnamon sugar coats every inch of the buttery French toast slices and that luscious strawberry orange sauce just seals the deal that it’s French toast every dang morning now, please.
Seriously though, French toast is no longer just for the weekends. You need this goodness way more often than that.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Watch this French toast made step-by-step on Google web stories.
More dynamite French toast to try next!
Cinnamon Sugar French Toast with Strawberry Orange Sauce
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Ingredients
Strawberry Orange Sauce
- 3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cinnamon Sugar French Toast
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 slices brioche bread
- 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
Strawberry Orange Sauce
- Combine strawberries, orange juice, zest, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and allow to cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until strawberries are broken down and thickened. Set aside.
Cinnamon Sugar French Toast
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Set aside for a moment.
- In a medium shallow bowl, beat eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat and grease well with butter. Working in batches, dip bread in egg mixture and sprinkle both sides with cinnamon sugar before placing on griddle or in skillet. Cook French toast 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once until golden brown. Repeat cooking with remaining bread, adding more butter as necessary.
- Serve French toast with strawberry sauce on top and whipped cream if desired and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe tips and photos on 4/25/24.
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